- Surgery on right wrist declared successful by KTM
- Triggered by retirement from the Dutch Grand Prix at Assen
- Return at the Sachsenring planned, subject to medical check
Just days after his retirement from the Dutch Grand Prix, Pedro Acosta has undergone surgery on his right wrist. The underlying issue is carpal tunnel syndrome, which had been robbing the Spaniard of feeling in his right hand and forced him to pull out of the race early. His team, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, confirmed that the procedure was successful. Acosta aims to be back on the bike for the next round in Germany.
Why Did Pedro Acosta Need Surgery?
Acosta underwent surgery because carpal tunnel syndrome in his right hand had stripped him of the feeling needed to operate the brake. During the race at Assen, he lost control of the brake lever and was forced to retire to avoid a crash.
On lap 13 of 26, the 22-year-old slowed before Turn 1 and rolled back to the pit lane. At first it looked like another mechanical issue with his KTM, but the real cause lay in his hand. Even as he parked the bike, Acosta was visibly shaking his right arm. He later clarified that the problem was not arm pump, a condition common among racers, but rather the tunnel syndrome. While battling Marc Marquez for a position inside the top five, he had to release the brake early on several occasions because he could no longer feel whether he was actually holding the lever.
What Is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?
Carpal tunnel syndrome is a compression of the median nerve at the wrist. This compression causes tingling, numbness, pain, and in some cases a loss of strength in the thumb, index, and middle fingers.
For a motorcycle racer, the condition is particularly problematic because the constant pressure on the handlebars and the repetitive wrist movements can aggravate it. It was precisely this lack of feedback at the brake that Acosta described as the core issue. According to his own account, the condition has been affecting him for about a year. It first became clearly noticeable last year at the round in Motegi, Japan, when he ran wide into the gravel at Turn 1 because the feeling in his fingers vanished at that moment and the brake lever slipped from his grasp. On some circuits the problem was more pronounced than on others, and the incident at Assen was the most severe yet.
When Will Acosta Return to MotoGP?
Acosta is targeting a return at the German Grand Prix at the Sachsenring, which takes place in roughly two weeks. A prerequisite is the medical check before the race weekend, which he must pass following such procedures.
Originally, the treatment was scheduled for the summer break, in Acosta’s words after about six or seven more races. The acute situation at Assen forced the timeline forward. In the official statement from KTM: “Pedro Acosta underwent successful minor surgery this morning on his right wrist to treat Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. He is expected to return for the German GP, pending a medical check next week.” Acosta himself was cautiously optimistic, saying about his recovery: “It will be OK if everything goes OK.”
Acosta’s Difficult Weeks at KTM
The surgery comes during a phase in which things have not been going well for Acosta on track. From the two most recent race weekends at Brno and Assen, he took away just a single point. At Assen, it was already his second consecutive retirement after he had dropped out on the final lap in the Czech Republic.
The weekend at Assen was difficult from the start. Two sensor-related technical problems on Saturday severely limited his track time and left him eighth on the grid. In the sprint he scored one championship point as ninth. After retiring from the Grand Prix, Acosta sits seventh in the riders’ standings, 60 points behind new championship leader Jorge Martin. The best KTM rider at Assen was Enea Bastianini, who moved up to sixth after a penalty against Marc Marquez. The incident fits into a season that has been marked by setbacks and missed opportunities for KTM and Acosta.
➜ This article is part of our comprehensive overview: 2026 MotoGP Season: The Complete Overview – Teams, Riders, Calendar & Championship Standings. Find all key information on this topic in one place.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Pedro Acosta retire from the race at Assen?
Pedro Acosta retired from the race due to a physical problem. Carpal tunnel syndrome in his right hand caused him to lose feeling in his fingers and with it control of the brake lever. To avoid a crash, he pulled into the pits on lap 13 of 26.
When did Pedro Acosta have surgery?
Pedro Acosta underwent surgery on Tuesday morning, just a few days after his retirement from the Dutch Grand Prix at Assen. KTM confirmed that the minor procedure on his right wrist was successful.
Will Pedro Acosta race at the German GP at the Sachsenring?
Pedro Acosta is planning to race at the German Grand Prix at the Sachsenring. His return is subject to passing a medical check before the race weekend, as required after surgical procedures.
Where does Pedro Acosta stand in the 2026 MotoGP championship?
Pedro Acosta sits seventh in the riders’ standings after the race at Assen, 60 points behind championship leader Jorge Martin. From the two most recent race weekends he scored only a single point.
